Freedom Forum

On September 11, 2017, Stronger collaborated with 28 other social service agencies in Collin and Dallas Counties to be a part of the Freedom Forum. The Forum was designed to help teach the facts about poverty and homelessness in our community, hear about the barriers to economic stability- especially for women - in Texas, and understand the devastating, life-time impact of poverty and homelessness on our community children.

Hosted by Agape Resource and Assistance Center, they coordinated an amazing panel of key speakers to discuss the statistics impacting Collin and Dallas counties. Larry James (CEO, CitySquare Dallas), Roslyn Dawson Thompson (President & CEO, Dallas Women’s Foundation) and Dr. Timothy Bray (Director, The Institute For Urban Policy Research at University of Texas at Dallas) joined to share their knowledge and experience and to suggest viable solutions.

Stronger than Espresso has been working as a partner with Agape Resource Center for over four years as they have administered the Stronger curriculum and small group programs to their clients.

When women flee domestic abuse, they are often forced to leave their homes, with nowhere else to turn.

Domestic violence is a main cause of homelessness for women and families, either when women are forced to flee a relationship or when they are evicted from their homes because of the abuse perpetrated against them. This is even truer for poor women due to a lack of safe and affordable housing options and housing assistance, as well as discrimination against survivors.

The impact that poverty has on children creates a pattern of ‘toxic stress.’ This can have long lasting effects on the brain and its ability to sooth, comfort, and calm itself, which can block children’s ability to learn at the same rate as their peers who are not struggling with poverty and the fear of homelessness.